Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) is thrilled to reteam with Joliet native and CYSO alum Mary Elizabeth Bowden for the world premiere of “Bohemian Queen: Concerto for Trumpet and String Orchestra” by Clarice Assad at Symphony Center’s Orchestra Hall 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20.
The subject of “Bohemian Queen,” written specifically for Mary Elizabeth Bowden and CYSO, is the surrealist art of Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977), an American painter based in Chicago often called “the queen of the bohemian artists.” As Assad observed in the program notes for the piece, “Abercrombie’s paintings are characterized by their use of dreamlike symbolism and careful attention to detail. She was profoundly interested in the jazz scene and friends with and used to throw some amazing parties for musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Sarah Vaughan.”
Mary Elizabeth Bowden performs with CYSO conducted by Allen Tinkham. Photo by Ed Spinelli
“Bohemian Queen” is in three movements. The first two are inspired by two of her paintings: “Girl Searching” (1945) and “The Stroll” (1943). The third movement, “Hyde Park Jam,” is an imaginary depiction of her memorable parties where she used to sit in as a pianist herself and play with jazz’s greatest masters.
Clarice Assad’s latest work is a brilliant example of her sophisticated yet accessible style and a perfect vehicle for the powerful virtuosity of CYSO alumna Mary Bowden,” said Music Director Allen Tinkham. “Bohemian Queen” illuminates why Clarice’s eclectic and energizing voice is among the fastest rising in classical music today. We are thrilled to have Chicago’s brightest young musicians take part in this important premiere giving them a personal experience with two fearlessly creative artists. CYSO is shaping the future of music by investing in the next generation of leaders, and as educators we have a responsibility to lead change tearing down old barriers so the next generation can dream bigger and lead even greater change.”
Conducted by Allen Tinkham the first half of the program will also feature an exciting line up of these contemporary works:
• “Overture” by Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981). “Overture” was premiered in spring 2022 by members of the CSO. Per Montgomery, “‘Overture’ is a one-movement orchestral tutti steeped in harmonic textures inspired by a fusion between jazz and American classical harmonies, Baroque rhythmic gestures, and polyphonic tension.”
• “Abstractions: Marble Moon” by Anna Clyne (b. 1980). “Marble Moon” is the first of five movements inspired by five contrasting contemporary artworks from the Baltimore Museum of Art and from the private collection of Rheda Becker and Robert Meyerhoff, for whom this music honors.
• “Father Antonio’s Contrapuntal Prayers for Michael” by Daniel Bernard Roumain (b. 1971). Skokie-born Roumain wrote this piece is a tribute to a priest who served at the Alamo mission.
The second half of the program features the orchestra performing “Ein Heldenleben” (A Hero's Life/A Heroic Life) by Richard Strauss (1864-1949). This is one in a series of Stauss’ tone poems, with a hero who is a thinly-veiled version of the composer himself. Over the course of six sections, we hear vignettes of “the hero’s” life, including adversaries (believed to be music critics) depicted by chattering woodwinds, and a tender violin solo for Strauss’ wife.
Tickets
CYSO presents their fall concert at Orchestra Hall, 220 South Michigan Ave. at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20. Tickets for general admission floor and upper balcony will be $20; lower balcony $40-$50; boxes $60. Children age 7 and under are free. Tickets are on sale now at http://cyso.org/tickets or from the Symphony Center box office.
About Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras is investing in the future of music and the next generation of leaders. As part of their commitment to performing new music and diversifying the classical music canon, CYSO is thrilled to present the Chicago premiere of Clarice Assad’s “Bohemian Queen.”
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras’ mission is to inspire and cultivate personal excellence through music. After more than 75 years of music-making, CYSO continues to shape generations of young leaders and musicians. Students collaborate and create in a learning environment like no other, developing fundamental skills including leadership, teamwork, and resilience. We are committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering each young musician so that they may pursue personal excellence both on and off stage.
CYSO works with young musicians ages 6-18 in on-site and school-based ensembles, and offers community programming reaching audiences of all ages across the Chicago region. Our programs include symphony orchestras, string orchestras, steelpan, jazz band, chamber music, and music composition. We invest in our community through CYSO@CPS school-based ensembles and free concerts that reach more than 10,000 young people annually.
CYSO promotes and provides ensemble-focused programming because we believe in the power of community. A young musician’s time at CYSO is a pathway of opportunity and growth, but they do not walk it alone. By bringing together young people from across the region, CYSO students build bonds with those who come from different backgrounds and share a passion for music. They develop the skills necessary to thrive as an ensemble. Whether or not a student continues musical studies after their time in CYSO, young people leave with increased self-confidence and a deep appreciation for music and the arts.
Major support for CYSO's 2022-2023 season is provided by: the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Ross Bricker and Nina Vinik, Dr. Louanne Carabini and Shawn O'Leary, Pam and Dave Conroy, J. Lawrence and Susan Costin, Crown Family Philanthropies, the Julius N. Frankel Foundation, Kelly and Dennis Howe, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince, Jim and Ginger Meyer, Ms. Jennifer Myerberg and The Alvin and Louise Myerberg Family Foundation, Inc., the Negaunee Foundation, Angela and Dana O’Banion, Bonita and Delano O’Banion, John and Joyce Schladweiler, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. and Terry Schwartz, Brittany Viola and Justin Bernbrock, and the Zell Family Foundation.
Biographies
Featured Artist
Classical trumpeter Mary Elizabeth Bowden has built an in-demand career as a soloist, praised for her “splendid, brilliant” playing (Gramophone Magazine) and her “pure, refined, and warm” tone (American Record Guide). A Gold Medal Global Music Award Winner, Opus Klassik Nominee, and Yamaha Performing Artist, she has also worked to establish a new repertoire for the trumpet through creative, collaborative commissioning projects and award-winning albums.
Her upcoming season includes no fewer than four world premiere concertos, including Clarice Assad’s new “Bohemian Queen: Concerto for Trumpet and String Orchestra,” with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Jennifer Jolley's Concerto for Brass Quintet with Seraph Brass and the U.S. Army "Pershing's Own," Reena Esmail's “Rosa de Sal for Trumpet” and Orchestra with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Tyson Davis's “Veiled Light” with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, which will be performed alongside her husband, trumpeter David Dash. Additional concerto performances include the “Haydn Concerto” with the Busan Maru International Music Festival Orchestra (Korea), Vivian Fung's “Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra” with the Philharmonia Northwest (Seattle), San Jose Chamber Orchestra, and Waynesboro Symphony (VA), and Anthony DiLorenzo's Chimera with Seraph Brass and the Florence Symphony (SC). Bowden will also have residencies with the World and European Brass Association in Courances, France; Guadalajara and Cancun, Mexico; and will be a Guest Artist at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Marlboro Music Festival.
Bowden has released two acclaimed recordings on Summit Records: her debut album, “Radiance” (featuring new American works), and her second solo album, “Rêverie” with the Kassia Ensemble. “Rêverie” was featured as one of the Top Albums of the Year for the Global Music Awards and on Textura Magazine’s “Top Ten Classical Albums of the Year.” In the coming season, Bowden will release her third album, on Cedille Records, which will be her first with full orchestra and will feature a program of newly commissioned works. Among her many creative projects, Bowden is a founding member and artistic leader of Seraph Brass, an ensemble of America’s top female brass players that was awarded the 2019 American Prize in Chamber Music and has performed around the world. The group’s debut album, “Asteria,” released on Summit Records, won the Silver Medal Global Music Award, and they performed on part of Adele’s 2016 North American tour. Bowden earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music and her Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music.
Composers
Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres and is acclaimed for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range. A prolific GRAMMY Award–nominated composer with more than 70 works to her credit, Assad has been commissioned by internationally renowned organizations, festivals, and artists and is published in France (Editions Lemoine), Germany (Trekel), Brazil (Criadores do Brasil), and the U.S. (Virtual Artists Collective Publishing). An in-demand performer, she is a celebrated pianist and inventive vocalist who inspires and encourages audiences’ imaginations to break free of often self-imposed constraints. Assad has released seven solo albums and appeared on or had her works performed on another 34. Her music is represented on Cedille Records, SONY Masterworks, Nonesuch, Adventure Music, Edge, Telarc, NSS Music, GHA, and CHANDOS. Her innovative, accessible, and award-winning VOXploration series on music education, creation, songwriting, and improvisation has been presented throughout the world. Sought-after by artists and organizations worldwide, the multi-talented musician continues to attract new audiences both onstage and off.
Jessie Montgomery was born into the thriving arts scene of 1980s Lower East Side, Manhattan to parents who were both artists (her mother in avant-garde theater, her father in jazz and film) and activists. She studied at the Juilliard School, and NYU, and has been associated with the Sphinx Organization in a variety of capacities since 1999. She is a recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, and a dedicated chamber musician. Montgomery was previously a member of both the PUBLIQuartet and Catalyst Quartet. She is currently the Mead Composer-in-Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Anna Clyne is an English composer based in the United States. She studied at the University of Edinburgh, and the Manhattan School of Music. She has been commissioned and presented by numerous institutions around the world including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, MoMA, the Philharmonie de Paris, the New York Philharmonic, and more. In 2015 she was nominated for a Grammy Award. Clyne is inspired by the visual arts, with several of her work inspired by painters, including Abstractions.
Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) is a collaborative composer, violinist, activist, educator, and social entrepreneur who has been described by the New York Times as “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets.” DBR’s work blends funk, rock, hip-hop, electronic music, and classical styles. He has collaborated with artists from Philip Glass to Bill T. Jones to Lady Gaga; appeared on NPR, American Idol, and ESPN; and has collaborated with the Sydney Opera House and the City of Burlington, Vermont. DBR made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2000 with the American Composers Orchestra and has since worked with numerous orchestras across the United States including the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Boston Pops, Detroit Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He holds a doctorate in Music Composition from the University of Michigan where his primary teachers were William Bolcom and Michael Daugherty. His 2015 piece, “Father Antonio’s Contrapuntal Prayers for Michael,” was premiered by the San Antonio Symphony.
Richard Strauss was born into the world of music. His father, Franz Strauss was an accomplished horn player, sitting principal in the court orchestra at Munich, which operated under the auspices of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Ludwig II is best remembered in history for his profound eccentricities (or madness), his Neuschwanstein castle (which Disneyland’s Cinderella castle is modeled after), and his near obsessive adoration of the music of Richard Wagner. Thus, Franz Strauss participated in the premieres of many Wagner compositions, including Tristan und Isolde, and parts of the Ring cycle. Despite having a front row seat to the music, the elder Strauss disliked the endlessly wandering tonalities and oozing, languishing, sentiments of Wagner. He preferred a solid dose of classicalism with his romance and made sure to root his son’s musical education in the works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, amongst others.